Grand slam comeback
AUBURN | The late-inning heroics continued for No. 13 Auburn Saturday.
The Tigers scored eight runs in the eighth inning to beat No. 6 Texas A&M 11-5 at Plainsman Park and take the three-game series. It’s Auburn’s seventh win of the season when trailing or tied in the eighth.
The Tigers, which improve to 19-1 overall and 2-0 in the SEC, will go for the the sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
“It’s huge,” said Welby Malczewski, who held the Aggies to one hit over the final 3.1 innings. “We harp on winning every series and to do that on Saturday means a lot. We get to go out tomorrow and attack and go for that sweep. I think that’s a goal every weekend.
“Just to get the win today with the way we did it, coming from behind, almost as usual it seems like now. It’s big. We’re getting closer and closer and getting stronger. I don’t think there’s a worry at any point in that dugout, bullpen, locker room. I just think that’s something strong we can keep moving forward.”
Trailing 4-3 in the eighth, Auburn loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Brendan Venter and Josh Anthony, and a Brett Wright hit by pitch. Jay Estes followed with a single through the left side to drive home two and put the Tigers on top.
Five batters later including two more hit batters that drove in another run, Steven Williams crushed a two-out grand slam over the right field wall for his fourth home run of the season. The freshman increased his team-leading RBI total to 27.
“The first pitch he threw me was a changeup and I swung late on hit, so I was thinking if I swung late on a changeup they’re probably going to throw me a fastball,” Williams said. “That’s what I was thinking and they threw a fastball that was right down the middle. I definitely needed that because it has been a rough weekend so far. I put a good swing on it and had a good result.”
Following a walk and an error, Wright doubled home another run to put the icing on an eight-run inning.
Malczewski (2-0) earned the win allowing one unearned run with four strikeouts and two walks. He threw 50 pitches.
“I’ll begin with Welby Malczewski. That’s a good place to start,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “The third outing this week. A guy that’s coming off the last two years of surgery. Threw one inning last year. Not a lot of hope, wondering if he should even come back and continue to even try to play baseball. The team loves to play behind him.
“To see him finish that game is pretty amazing.”
Auburn looked to have the game tied 4-4 in the sixth when Wright doubled home Venter and Anthony, but Anthony was called out for not touching home plate and the Aggies went to the seventh with a 4-3 lead. The call was confirmed after a review.
That wasn’t the only run taken off the board. In the top of the sixth, Texas A&M’s Zach DeLoach was initially called safe on a throw home by right fielder Williams. But the call was reversed after a review determined Wright tagged him before he reached the plate, giving Williams his first outfield assist.
Texas A&M led 3-0 before Will Holland hit a two-run home run over the right field wall in the fifth, his third of the season.
Venter, Anthony and Wright had two hits apiece. Wright, Estes and Holland had two RBI apiece. Williams was 1-for-5 with four RBI and Jeremy Johnson 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Auburn starter Davis Daniel allowed three runs on six hits in 4.2 innings. He struck out five and issued four walks. Elliott Anderson allowed a run on two hits in 1.0 innings.
Sunday’s game will be on SECN+ and WatchESPN. Auburn freshman RHP Tanner Burns (2-1, 1.69) will face TAMU junior RHP Mitchell Kilkenny (4-0, 1.30).